Homemade Bagels

The trick to these crisp, chewy bagels is the poolish, a fermentation starter (also known as a mother dough) made with bread flour, yeast, and water. It is quickly assembled the night before the bagels are made.

Total Time: 3:30

Cook: 0:45

Level:
Moderate

Yield:
1 dozen bagels

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Ingredients

Poolish

1⅓ c. bread flour

¼ tsp. active dry yeast

Dough

1 tsp. active dry yeast

¼ c. honey

5⅓ c. bread flour

1 c. whole wheat flour

2 tbsp. whole-wheat flour

1 tbsp. salt

1 tbsp. baking soda

poppy seeds

sesame seeds

coarse sea salt

Directions

In a medium bowl, using a wooden spoon, stir bread flour with yeast and 1 cup of lukewarm water until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

In bowl of a standing mixer fitted with dough hook, combine yeast and honey with 1 2/3 cups of lukewarm water. Mix in poolish. Add bread flour, whole wheat flour, and salt, and beat at medium speed until a smooth, stiff dough forms, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 1 minute. Form dough into a ball and transfer to a large, oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a draft-free spot until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush or spray generously with vegetable oil. Divide dough into 12 pieces and form into tight balls; transfer to baking sheet. Cover loosely with sprayed plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes.

To form bagels, poke your finger in center of each ball to make a 1/2-inch hole. Return bagels to baking sheet, cover, and let stand until risen, about 1 hour. Add 1 bagel to a bowl of cold water. If it floats, bagels have risen sufficiently.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F and position racks in lower and middle thirds. Line 1 baking sheet with a clean, lightly moistened kitchen towel and line 2 others with parchment paper; spray paper with oil. Bring 2 large, deep pots of water to a boil. Add 1/2 tablespoon of baking soda to each pot. Add 2 or 3 bagels to each pot, without crowding (bagels will swell in water) and simmer for 1 1/2 minutes. Flip bagels and simmer for 1 1/2 minutes longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bagels to kitchen towel–lined sheet to drain. Before they dry, sprinkle bagels generously with toppings, then immediately transfer them to parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Repeat with remaining bagels.

Bake bagels for 18 to 20 minutes, shifting pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until deeply browned. Let cool slightly, then serve.